A Psycho's Revenge remade
by teeju
Summary: Remix of A Psycho's Revenge see my profile. Hwoarang is a young man that is constantly haunted by memories of his past and a man after him for a debt. It eventually puts himself and someone he cares about the most in danger. HwoaxJulia The conclusion!
1. The Drag Race

A Psycho's Revenge A/N: Here you guys go, the big moment has arrived. Yup, I've re-done the story using the former story I wrote and combined it with my script for my scriptwriting class. So, um let me know what you guys think, I hoped I progressed somewhat with my writing and I will finish it to the end. Enjoy! 

_By the way, I am quite aware that Hwoarang's last name is not Doo-San but for the purposes of this story, it's what he goes by._

Disclaimer: All Tekken Characters are property of Namco, but any other characters in this story are copyright to Teeju.

**Chapter 1: The Drag Race**

Two men stood along side their two motorcycles outside the bar. One of them has long red hair and looks as if he is in his twenties. The other man has blond hair and considerably older, but very muscular. An excitement filled the air as a crowd gathered outside the bar to watch.

"You sure you want to do this Doo-San? No one has ever beaten me in a drag race. Especially around Dead Man's Curve"

"Yeah, yeah" Hwoarang swung his leg over the other side of the bike and sat on the seat "Just get ready to eat your words, Phoenix."

Paul Phoenix does the same and revs the engine on his bike. Hwoarang firmly grasps the handle on his motorcycle and the engine roars. He then turned to Paul again and yelled loudly over the sounds of the chanting crowd and the sputtering engines.

"And don't forget our little wager. Fifty bucks says I will make it to Dead Man's Curve and back before you."

In the chant of the crowd, he heard someone distinctly calling his name. He turned behind him and saw someone running towards him.

"Hwoarang! Wait!" Hwoarang rolled his eyes and tapped the handles impatiently.

"What is it now, Jung?"

Jung reached where Hwoarang waited for him to speak. He put one finger in the air and bent over trying to catch his breath. Hwoarang sighed, it wasn't that long of a run. Jung was a man who seemed incompetent for being in a gang, it wasn't that he was young; it was just seemed like he wasn't really cut out for the gang life. If it wasn't for his proficiency with handguns and other weapons, he definitely would not be Hwoarang's first choice. Jung ran his hand through his short spiked hair in obvious anxiety.

"There was this man in the bar. He was looking for you. He was well… kinda weird. He creeped me out. Do you know him?"

Hwoarang felt something go up his spine. He knew who it was, but he didn't know he'd be found so soon. No matter what he did he always felt like his past always caught up with him in the end. Jung of course was ignorant of most of his past, being that he was new to the gang. No one knew anything about it. And he wanted to keep it that way.

Hwoarang stared out ahead of him, the road was empty and it sounded like the roar of the crowd died down as he looked towards the open road. He shook his head slowly.

"No, I don't know who you're talking about. I hope you didn't tell him where I went?"

"Of course not."

"Good." Hwoarang eyes have a new focus on them he revved the engine on his bike. "Now out of my way, I have a race to win."

Jung stepped back. A man stands in between the bikes holding a pistol in the air. Hwoarang grasped the handlebars firmly as his heart began to beat more rapidly. Suddenly the pistol fired and the riders sped off into the horizon. The sound of the crowd dwindled.

Paul was ahead by a small gap and slowly increasing the margin. The wind rushed through Hwoarang's hair as he narrows in on Paul's trail. Hwoarang could barely make out Paul turning around on his bike.

"Hey, Doo-San! You might want to pick up the pace! You're slowing down."

Hwoarang gritted his teeth. Every attempt for Hwoarang to try and pass Paul only resulted in Paul's margin only increasing. There would only be a little time before Paul would reach Dead Man's curve and he would be out fifty bucks.

Hwoarang smirked, he never lost at anything and he wasn't going to start now. He swerved off the road and towards a pre-cut entrance to an abandoned junkyard. If he took this shortcut he'd pull up right up Dead Man's Curve before Paul easily. He abandoned any doubts by telling himself that he was on the street and on the street there were no rules.

He twisted the handle violently and the engine roared and he pulled the back causing it to glide on one wheel. He focused on the ramp ahead that would lead him back to the main road.

"Steady, Steady." Hwoarang murmured aloud.

All of a sudden, figure emerged and blocked the entrance to the main road. Hwoarang blinked in surprise and slammed down on the brake while turning the bike sideways to avoid slamming into the figure ahead. He stopped just in the nick of time a couple of feet from it. Hwoarang simply turns of the engine of the bike climbs off his it. He stood a few feet off staring in resentment at the form directly in front of him.

"What the heck is your problem? I had that race!"

The figure stepped closer and his form became more visible. He was about Hwoarang's height. He has a silver hair and is wearing all black. He was well-built with a scar, vertically on his left eye. Hwoarang couldn't believe it, but Bryan Fury looked even more menancing and demented than usual.

"Where is it?" Bryan spoke flatly

"I told you! I was trying to get your money! If you didn't get my way…"

"What you're doing is child's play. I've given you more than enough chances. Pay up."

"I don't even know why you're hounding me. I wasn't responsible… for your death."

Flashback

_Bryan is inside the blood talon headquaters, talking with the leader. He is muscular and of asian descent with jet black hair. Bryan is standing in front of a large briefcase stuffed with cash while the leader sat relaxed in his chair._

_Bryan stood uneasily as if nervous about something and then finally spoke to him._

"_There it is, that's all the cash."_

_The leader fingered through it then closed the case abruptly. "You know, the Brazilian Division Sector will be very unhappy that they won't get their shipment on time."_

"_I am making it worth your while, aren't I? After all, you are trafficking drugs."_

"_And you are betraying the police force. We're not all that different."_

"_You'd never expose this little deal of ours to my superior? Wulong would probably have my head for this."_

"_And risk my gang being destroyed? Never! One of my guards will escort you to the warehouse."_

_Bryan exited just as Hwoarang entered the room. Bryan smirked and Hwoarang eyed him suspiciously. He emtered the office and bowed slightly in homage to the leader. He immediately looked behind and shut the door. The leader simply raised an eyebrow._

"_Hwoarang! My main man! What's up? You seem a little jumpy."_

"_I don't trust that guy."_

"_Who? Bryan? Did you se how much money he gave us."_

"_Yeah, and he seemed all to eager to toss it and get the goods."_

"_Hwoarang, listen. I value your advice as second in command. But we got what we wanted. The drugs are off us and we got the cash."_

_Hwoarang shook his head. Just as he is about to protest another member of the Blood Talons comes into the room. The leader seemed annoyed by this intrusion but he seemed oblivious to it. _

_  
"Sorry, but there's been a breach. The Night Hawks are here!"_

_The BTL slams his fists on his desk. After pondering for a moment, the BTL opens a drawer and puts a gun in Hwoarang's hand._

" _I don't know how our rivals found us, but we're going to have to hold them off as long as possible."_

_Hwoarang looks up into the BTL's approving face and nodded. All the other memories are blurred together; there are flashes of lights and sound of sirens and gunshots._

End flashback

Hwoarang was hit by a barrage of punches that felt like he had been hit with lead. He keeled over, writhing in agony but somehow managed to stand and fight back. But trying to move Bryan was like trying to move a brick wall.

Bryan had Hwoarang in a lock and just as he is about to deliver another critical blow he sees some of Hwoarang's allies running in his direction. He stopped the hit just inches from Hwoarang's face.

"Next time, Doo-San" Bryan spoke ominously. Just as mysteriously as he appeared, Bryan Fury had vanished. A mix of both blood and sweat intermingled and dripped from his shirt and down the sides of his head. Hwoarang is bent over, clutching his stomach and grimacing.

Jung, who was the first to arrive placed his hand on Hwoarang's back and matched his eye level with Hwoarang's.

"You alright? Who was that guy?"

"Never mind that." Hwoarang spoke flatly.

Hwoarang slowly made his way over to the bike which still sat untouched nearby and he stumbled the entire way. He kicked the stand up with his foot. The bike roared with intensity as he muttered something about still being able to finish the race. His vision was still blurry and suddenly he lost his balance as the ground came up to meet him.

**A/N: Some of you know what's going to happen already, but still review anyway. You never know how I might change it up. **


	2. Eyes of A Murderer

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I've been really busy lately. And that's an understatement. **

_**Chapter 2: Eyes of a Murderer**_

_Chaos erupts as the Night Hawk members invade the BTHQ. Both sides lose many men and there are bodies scattered everywhere in the warehouse. The sounds of sirens fill the room as madness ensues. The cries, the smell of blood, it was all too much for him to take. _

_Hwoarang ran into the leader's office trying to find an exit. But he heard someone faintly moan. There is someone lying next to the desk. He eased slowly around the desk, gun pointed._

_The Blood Talon leader was lying on the floor bleeding. Hwoarang knelt down to his side and examined the wound on his chest. It looked very bad for him. The leader cringed in pain as he took slow and deep breaths. His lips quivered as he spoke._

"_Hwoarang… I want to shoot me."_

_Hwoarang was taken back for a moment, but quickly recovered._

" _What? Are you crazy? You must not be thinking straight…"_

"_No, take my gun out of the holder…"_

_Hwoarang looks at the BTL's side and sees a pistol in the holster. Hwoarang shook his head and laid his gun on the floor._

"_No, we both go down together. That's how it has always been."_

_The BTL looks as if he is about to say something, but he quickly changes his mind._

"_Listen, we don't have time for this… Hwoarang as your officer, your leader, it's an order."_

_It is silent for a moment as Hwoarang slowly takes up the pistol. He clutches the gun with both hands to keep from shaking. He heard the sound of footsteps running in the hallway._

"_Take good care of the gang for me. I'm counting on you."_

_Hwoarang nodded silently, with tears stinging his eyes. He closed his eyes. There are two clicks and a shot. The sound of the shot recoiled in his ear and everything went black._

Hwoarang sat up in bed immediately, drenched in sweat. He sighed, realizing once again he was a dream or more like a memory. He held his head for a few moments, before he finally stood up. He grimaced slightly. His stomach still ached last night from his altercation with Bryan Fury last night.

Hwoarang slowly maneuvered his way through the hallway of his apartment to the bathroom. Running the cold water full blast, he threw it unto his face and gazed up into his reflection.

He thought about the dream. It hadn't been up until recently that Hwoarang had been having nightmares about that specific night. But that was the first time in a while he remembered shooting his friend so distinctly. Could it be that he was looking into the eyes of a murderer?

He took a quick shower and got dressed. He probably had a long day ahead of him at the BTHQ (Blood Talon Head Quarters). He grabbed his jacket and keys and opened his apartment door. Just as he did so, the telephone rang. He rolled his eyes and picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Doo-San?" a woman's voice spoke softly

"Yeah?"  
"This is a nurse from the intensive care unit at Yamagata Hospital. We have some news regarding Baek Doo-San."

It had been a few years since he heard his mentor's name. Hwoarang goes on the defensive.

"Listen, lady. I already know that he's dead."

"No, this is good news. He is still alive."

Hwoarang immediately fell silent. His mentor alive? After all this time? How was it even possible?

"Hello?" the nurse inquired

"Yeah, I'm still here." Hwoarang's voice grew softer. "H-how is he?"

"He's doing great. He came out of his coma and he is recovering very quickly. Of you want, I can make an appointment for you on…"

"That won't be necessary, thank you."

"Are you sure? He'd be glad to have some company."

Hwoarang became silent again.

"I'll think about it."

There is a hint of sympathy in the nurse's tone. "I really do hope you change your mind…"

"Yeah, bye."

Hwoarang quickly hung up the phone. Everything in him came rushing back all at one time. He didn't know what to think, now that he discovered that his mentor was alive. Things would be different, his entire life could change, if he allowed it to.

Suddenly, something a thought came to mind. He dropped his things and dug through a dresser stuffed with paper. On the very bottom he pulled out a tiny piece of paper with writing on it. He went over it briefly with a half-smile. Stuffing it into his back pocket he headed down to the BTHQ.

As soon as he came in he felt bombarded with tasks he had to do. Proposals, suggestions, he felt almost completely overwhelmed. Especially with trying to find a way to get out of the debt he incurred, or more accurately inherited.

He retreated into his office. At least he could have some kind of peace. Just then, there is a knock on the door. He sighed, _So much for peace and quiet._

"Who is it?"

"Jung."

Hwoarang buried his head in his papers. At least he could try to look busy.

"Come in."

Jung walked into the office, shutting the door behind him. There was a silence in the room as Hwoarang occasionally shuffled through papers.

"What are you up to?"

"Paperwork."

"Oh."

It was clear that Jung really just couldn't take a hint. Hwoarang looked up from his papers and set them aside.

"What can I do for you Jung?"

"Nothing."

Jung thought for a second, before suddenly blurting out:

"Hwoarang, how bad off are we?"

Hwoarang hesitated. "Bad off?"

"There's no need to fake it, Hwoarang. I've heard about it already."

Hwoarang considered how to break it to him, before concluding.

"Let's just put it this way, we're in pretty deep."

"It's that bad, huh?"

"Yup."

"Well, if you say it like that, you make it seem like you're o.k with it."

"Well, I'm not. I'm just not going to sugar coat it, is all. It wouldn't be so bad, but we don't make the income that we used to anymore. Street fights and drag races really just don't make as much money as the drug stuff did."

Jung's tone changed into a more defiant one. "Maybe we should go back to that."

"What are you-"

Before Jung can respond, they both heard a commotion going on from outside the door, possibly in the warehouse. It sounded like there was some kind of brawl going on. Hwoarang stood to his feet.

"What the-"

A member of the Blood Talons, ran in.

"Sorry to interrupt. But we've apprehended an intruder. They've asked to speak with you."

Hwoarang's lips curved into a smirk. It was most likely Bryan Fury. He'd make sure he'd "pay him" back for last night.

"Oh, really? Let's see this intruder."

Hwoarang followed the other Blood Talon member and Jung into the warehouse. What he found was not what he expected. A girl with her hair in a long braid and wearing glasses was being restrained by a couple of members of the blood talons. It was apparent she had given them some trouble, judging by the tenacity at which they held her.

When she looked up from the ground, her face was all too familiar to him.

"Julia?"

**A/N: I'm really debating if I should keep that chapter with Ling and Jin. It's not all that relevant to the story though. Please let me know in a review if I should.**


	3. Things Change

**A/N: Thanks for being so patient with me guys! And to those readers who reviewed my story ****UP3N P4T3L R0CK5 and Karisan**, **I really appreciate it ******

_**Chapter 3: Things Change**_

Julia looks to Hwoarang with a cute guilty look on her face. She looked the same way that he remembered so many years ago. He hid his surprise and immediately ordered his guards to let her go. Julia jerked her arms of their grip. Hwoarang gestured for everyone to leave the room. His mind raced for something to say.

"It's been a long time…"

"Is that all you have to say to me?"

"That and you could have just used the front door."

Julia rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips.

"Your guards wouldn't let me in. So I had to get a little violent."

"I can see that."

Julia looked around the warehouse with a sense of familiarity. "It looks like you're up to the same old, same old."

Hwoarang slightly cringed. It was the same old Julia, always being exceedingly critical of whatever he did and however he chose to live his life. "It never did satisfy you, did "Yeah. And you could never satisfy me in more ways than one." "Ah, touché. You were always fast with your tongue. And that's why we "got along" so well!"

A silence filled the room as the two secretly averted gazes awkwardly. He was always attracted to her somehow, and time sure did not change that. Hwoarang cleared his throat.

"So what are you doing out here anyway? I thought you went back to Arizona after the fourth tournament."

"I did. But I also received at here at the Ecological Research Company. I've been doing orientation for nearly a week now."

Hwoarang let out what sounded like a scoff and a laugh, leaving Julia feeling a bit perturbed.

"Is that hard to believe?" she asked

"No, it's not that. It's just that it's hard to believe that you didn't call me and let me know or something."

"Me not call you? Check your phone, I left like ten messages on your phone."

Hwoarang looked down at his cell phone. And sure enough, there were several missed calls. He never answered his phone for anyone usually. Hwoarang shrugged.

"I've been very busy" Hwoarang replied dismissively.

"Busy? Too busy for your friends? Your business always got in the way of everything. Even us."

"Listen, Julia. I'm not going to argue with you. What's in the past is in the past, right? Things change. And that's that."

"Do you mean to say we're…"

Julia fell silent. Hwoarang leaned against a crate and sighed. Things between them had always been intense whether it was constant arguing or moment like this. A piece of paper unknowingly fells out of his pocket.

Julia looked down at hit and he followed her gaze, stooping down to pick it up. Looking at the paper, he was suddenly reminded. He meant to go visit his mentor at the hospital.

"Crap! I just remembered that I have to get down to Yagamata hospital."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I just found out this morning that Master Baek is alive."

"Wow, that's great Hwoarang! I guess I'll catch with you later."

"Yeah, we'll talk more later."

Hworang made a dash for the back door and he heard Julia yell:

"And keep your phone on!"

Hwoarang smirked and went out the back exit.

Hwoarang hopped on his bike and arrived at Yamagata hospital still fairly early in the afternoon. As soon as he entered he smelt the scent of medicine. He hated hospital, they reminded him too much of death. He approached the nurses' station who looked up at him with a smile.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, I'm here to see Baek Doo-San"

"O.k" the nurse replied, running her finger down the page of patients on a list. "Oh, here it is. He was just transferred from Nagasaki Hospital. Room 142. Are you his son?"

Hwoarang hesitated before answering "Kind of"

The nurse smiled and nodded as if understanding what Hwoarang meant. She stood up from the station and walked around the counter.

"O.k… If you could just follow me…"

They walk down a long and narrow corridor in the trauma section of the hospital. The Attendant peers into the window of room 142 and then slowly opens the door. The Attendant enters Baek's room followed by Hwoarang. Baek sits up in his hospital bed, he looked at Hwoarang silently as if in awe.

The nurse sensing the tension in the room cleared her throat and said:

"I'll leave you too alone."

She left. It was again silent and Hwoarang still remained next to the door. Baek still was staring at him as if seeing into his soul. Hwoarang felt a deep shame about the things he has done, and resolved to keep his own activities secret from Baek.

"Why are you standing so far away? I don't bite."

Hwoarang stepped closer to Baek's bed, still silent. He wanted to say so much, but he had to keep his own emotions intact. He needed to be unmovable and strong, and not strayed by his feelings that came along with his Master's disappearance: fear betrayal loneliness.

In a comforting tone, Baek began "I missed you so much, Hwoarang."

The line startled him and he regained control of his feelings quickly. It looked as if Hwoarang was about to say something, but he changed his mind.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, a bit groggy from the medicines I've been taking."

Baek looked at Hwoarang again as if in disbelief.

"I feel as if I missed so much of your life. What have you been up to?"

Hwoarang briefly thought about what had happened after his mentor went missing shortly before the third tournament. That was almost three years of ground to cover. What didn't he have to tell his Master?

"I was drafted in the military back into Korea."

"I know, the government told me how I could get in touch with you. My letter allowed you to get off with only community service, instead of prison time for desertion."

"So that letter the judge talked about, was from you?"

"Yes."

"So you heard about my little mishap with the military, huh?"

Hwoarang smiled sheepishly, realizing that fact that Baek was probably a bit disappointed in him for trying to escape from the military to fight his rival, Jin Kazama.

Hwoarang felt the need to suddenly change the topic suddenly remembering an issue that had bother him. He pulled out his pocket the same white paper that had fallen out of his pocket previously.

"This letter… is almost four years old… and I still have it. It's from you. Before you went missing. Do you remember anything?"

"No, not a thing after the second tournament. It's very strange, but my mind draws a complete blank if I try to remember anything from that long ago."

Hwoarang walked toward the window next to Baek's bed. He glanced outside and placed his hand on it, as he watched the people of Japan walking back and forth on the sidewalks.

"Speaking of the tournament. Hwoarang I want you to fight in the next tournament."

Hwoarang turned from the window abruptly.

"I want to see how much you've grown and how much your skills have improved."

Hwoarang clenched his fist with a smirk on his face.

"I will, but you better watch out. I'm not that same boy you trained in Tae Kwon Do so many years ago."

"I'm sure you'll make me proud."

Baek yawned and stretched both hands straight into the air.

"Sorry…" he apologized.

"No, that's fine. I was about to get going anyway. I still have some things I need to do."

"Alright."

Hwoarang bowed slightly and began to walk out of the room.

"Remember to always to be fair and honorable in all your dealings."

Hwoarang stopped in place and without turning around responded "Yes, Master Baek."

He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. As he left the hospital, he felt somewhat satisfied in coming and he was glad to know that Baek was fine and that he would be up and about for the next tournament.

Julia arrived at the Ecological Research Corporation (ERC). When she entered she immediately felt intimidated. Not only was she probably one of the youngest employees, but everyone else seemed so much more professional. She felt completely out of place. She took a seat at her cubicle and sighed.

An older, bald gentleman with glasses and a lab coat walked over to her. She immediately perked up in her seat.

"Hello, Dr. Abel."

"Ms. Chang. How are you? Are you adjusting? Is everything to your liking?"

"Yes, very much sir. I just I want to thank you again for this position. Ecology is really my passion."

"Then, I hope you'll feel at home here. The assignments for today are on your desk.

"Thank you sir!"

Abel left. She looked at the thick folder full of assignments for her to accomplish. Orientation time was officially over. It was going to be a long day.

She noticed a small vase with a single red rose in it that she had not noticed before. She read the card that simply said "From Hwoarang"

"When did he have time to…" Julia muttered. She gazed at the beautiful rose with a glazed over look in her eyes. That Hwoarang was always full of surprises.

She turned and saw a man enter the building. He was wearing shades, had silver hair, and seemed somewhat awkward. Something about him looks familiar. She shakes it off and began her work.

**A/N: Please R&R I'd really appreciate it!**


	4. Another Day, Another Situation

_**Chapter 4: Another day, Another situation**_

The day had generally went through fairly ordinary. This was an unusual time where he decided he would take the day off. Well, Jung had influenced him to do so, more or less, much to his own annoyance. He never liked people telling him what to do, but he decided that he could possibly benefit from taking a day away from all the stress of running a gang. It was a lot of work.

Sometimes, he didn't really consider how he spent his time, but it always was the same. It always came down to the same conclusion. Not matter how much money they made, he could never find enough money to pay for that botched deal. It was simply impossible.

Hwoarang decided that maybe some fresh air would clear his mind. He put on his jacket and headed outside. He looked at his bike, but changed his mind. Maybe the walk would get him some exercise.

As he mulled over various thoughts he realized that he hadn't heard from Julia since their meeting at the headquarters. Her job was probably running her dry. Besides, after the way they abruptly "ended" their relationship after the third tournament, it was likely that she would want anything to do with him.

Hwoarang paused when he reached the dojo. He peered inside, but it was completely empty. He hadn't planned on training but he figured that maybe he'd get a head start. The next tournament could possibly be only a few months away and unfortunately he had very little time to train since the last.

The bag hung still in the middle of the dojo. He kicked it a few times and swung back to him continuously, until it began to swing back to him in a fairly predictable rhythm. But he lacked the strength and precision he used to have. He punched the bag with his fist in frustration.

"I'm not focused."

But he resolved not to give up. That was one thing that he had remembered from his master's harsh training lessons. He continued kicking the bag with a fury of quick combinations and variations. It felt good to him, to finally get back into combat. When he thought of the next tournament and another chance to finally face Jin Kazama, his blood boiled. He'd be ready.

Before he knew it, it was evening and he barely knew where the time went. He sat on the floor of the dojo, panting. His phone started to vibrate. He pulled out his phone and looked at the screen. The number was from the BTHQ. They would probably ask him to come in; he knew a day of would be too good to be true.

"What is it?" He spoke into the receiver.

"Hwoarang, you need to come over right away. We have a situation."

Hwoarang's eyes widened.

"I'll be right over."

He stood onto his feet and rushed out the door, breaking out into a sprint. _What could that situation be about? _He took a turn into an alleyway where one of the senior members of the Talons was waiting for him.

"What is it? What happened?"

"We had another intruder."

"Intruder?"

Hwoarang followed the official into a back office and towards Hwoarang's office.

"He did a lot of damage."

When the official pushed open the door, it was a complete disaster. Everything was torn apart. Papers were all over the floor. Furniture was turned over. It was as if a tornado had hit the room. Hwoarang surveyed the damage silently, his rage beginning to steadily increase.

"This is exactly the way we found it" The senior member spoke again. "The strange thing was, there wasn't any sign of forced entry."

"Who did this?" Hwoarang spoke, trying to keep his anger under control. Some other members of the Blood Talons stood at the doorway. Jung stood ahead of the rest.

"Was anybody here?"

Everyone was silent for a few moments. The Jung finally spoke up.

"I saw the guy."

Hwoarang remained silent, permitting Jung to continue.

"I confronted him… in the alleyway. I wasn't any match for the guy. I asked what he wanted, and he said he wanted to see you and that you owed him something."

Hwoarang was a bit taken back and the other members looked at him oddly. He then recovered swiftly.

"I want more security. I want a report filed on this ASAP. The rest of you can start cleaning the damage in the warehouse."

The members slowly dispersed. He stooped to the ground. He felt someone still behind him.

"Hwoarang? You sure you don't need any help?" Jung asked.

"I'll be fine."

Hwoarang heard the door shut behind him.

He shifted through the papers and decided to see what if anything was missing. He couldn't understand. Did Bryan really think he would really keep the money in his office? What was Bryan really after?

As these questions whirled in Hwoarang's mind, his phone vibrated yet again. Not recognizing the number, he placed the phone to his ear slowly.

"Hello?"

"Hwoarang?" a female voice asked.

"Yeah." It wasn't that he wasn't happy to hear from her; it was just that he had too many other things on his mind. "Jules this actually isn't the best time…"

"Is something wrong?"

Hwoarang hesitated. He fixed his turned over chair and sat in it.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"I can't sleep I've been having nightmares

"About your…"

He heard her make a sound like a sob, but it was restrained.

"I miss her," she softly spoke her voice wavering. He hardly had the words to say. She had always been sensitive with regards to her mother's disappearance but she never could actually tell him what happened.

"Oh."

He shifted in his seat.

"It's like" she began again, as if trying to clarify herself. "You see yourself over and over again. And you pray, you wish things can be different."

Hwoarang was silent. It was almost like she was reading his mind. He stood up from his chair and began to scoop pick up papers and re-file them.

"What about you Hwoa? Do you ever have dreams like that?"

Hwoarang made a sound that sounded like a scoff. Hearing that she was silently waiting for an answer, he breathed deeply and spoke:

"I think everyone wishes that things can be different. But what else do we have but what's in front of us?"

Hwoarang paused, as if trying to convince himself. They were both in thought thinking about things they had done and the places where they had been. Julia finally broke the silence.

"You know what, Hwoarang? I've always admired you."

"Really? Why?"

"You just seem so care-free."

Hwoarang tried to restrain himself from laughing. Instead he came back in sarcastic tone. "If you don't think I got my own crap, you're mistaken. I just try not to care about anything anymore."

"Hmm.," Julia replied as if considering the thought. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

"No."

"Are you sure? You still didn't tell me what happened tonight."

"It's not you're concern."

"I'm making it my concern."

Hwoarang sat back in his chair. He hated it when she was pushy. She hadn't changed a bit. He also knew that she always had a way of getting things out of him. She would keep pushing and pushing until he finally he'd break. Hwoarang sighed in exasperation.

"If you must know, my HQ was totally trashed tonight!"

"Really, by who?"

Hwoarang hesitated again. But since he had gone this far, he might as well at least give her a name.

"Bryan Fury."

"I remember that name. Didn't he die in a shoot-out a couple of years back."

Hwoarang shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Wait a minute! That's it!" Julia exclaimed. Hwoarang cringed. She must have figured out that one of the gangs involved in the shoot-out was his.

"I know. I'm sorry…"

"What are you apologizing for? I just realized who that guy from work looked like."

"What?"

"Well, Today this guy came in. He was pretty creepy-like. I guess he went to see Dr. Abel."

"Hmm." He felt as if there was a connection there but he couldn't quite put it together. Obviously Bryan had no obvious reason to be at an ecological company. Does he suddenly care about the environment all of a sudden?

"If you want I can talk to Dr. Abel…"

"No, not a good idea. In fact, I'm not sure if I like you working that job if he has access to it."

"Well that's too bad. I need the research for my reforestation project."

"Is research more important than your life?

Is the gang more important than yours?

By now, Hwoarang was furious. How dare she involve the gang in this? You don't seem to get it. Thegang is my life! They were there when I had nothing! That's why I do what I do! I figure I owe them at least this much. And I definitelydon't need you telling me how to run life.

"Fine then!" she yelled, her tone matching his. "I won't interfere with your life anymore! Good night!"

Hwoarang closed the phone and violently slammed into the desk. He wouldn't allow anyone to run his life. He'd do everything as he always had done.


	5. Two days

_**Chapter 5: Two Days**_

Julia sat at her desk at the ERC. She yawned, covering her mouth. She was a little tired from staying up at late as she did last night. She stared at the rose that still sat on her desk. The leaves were dry and wilted.

In all honesty, she couldn't focus at all. Her fights in the past with Hwoarang had never been really serious. She wouldn't take about what she said because she felt she was right. But maybe… she could have found a nicer way to say it.

She sighed. The folder sat on her desk with things she had to do and she wouldn't get it completed by sitting there daydreaming. The quicker she could finish Abel's assignments, the sooner she can get to her own personal projects, her ultimate goal of reforestation for her homeland.

She loaded the files on her computer. As she is typing in the URL a strange file pops up.

"Geno-Cell: Devil- Human Integration Program" she read aloud. _What the heck is this about?_

She looked around to see if anyone else was watching her. She didn't understand why this file would be on her computer. Part of her wanted to just ignore it and the other side, her nosy side wouldn't let go of the image. A question nagged her: Should she go and seeAbel about the file? She finally decided that she wouldn't be able to get back to her work without at least until she asked Abel about it.

Julia walked toward Abel's office and stopped. She peered through the dim glass window. She couldn't see into his office but she saw that someone was in there with him and they were having some kind of heated exchange. She decided to just wait it out.

"How did you make it here, past security?" Abel began fiercely.

"Your guards couldn't protect themselves."

"What do you want? I told you, I don't have the cure, that takes tons of research and money I can't spare at the moment. I'm already working for Heihachi.

"I know that. But if I gave you the money, you can make the modifications on my body?"

"I suppose so. Did you have someone in mind?"

"Yes… Some Korean kid." "Kid? You're stealing from children now?"

"Watch it Abel. I'll have your money. And will youdo what I say."

"And what if I don't? I have no further use for you."

"You don't want to know. I'll have your money. Two days."

Bryan turned to leave the office. Julia's heart jumped as she quickly scurried around th corridor. She held her breath with her back to the wall. She peered slightly around the corner to see Bryan stalk out of the room and out the back exit. Was Bryan after Hwoarang? She needed to find out more. From what she heard from the office he could be in real danger.

_You better be thankful for this…_

A few moments later, Julia followed Bryan out the same exit.

The back lot of the ERC was completely empty. She glanced around. She hopes she did not lose him already. In the distance, she saw a figure cross a street and walk towards an alley. She followed him this far….

Stalking behind him as quietly as possible, she follows him down the abandoned alley. She nearly choked, she covered her mouth. The alley had a horrible smell. She sees that there is actually another man waiting for Bryan in the alley. She quickly ducked behind a dumpster.

Bryan walked a few feet toward the man, then stopped. The man spoke, looking up from the ground.

"What took you?"

"Taking care of some business."

"You mean Abel?"

"I promised to get him the cash in two days."

"How are we going to do that?" the man spoke, sounding a bit annoyed.

"With your help of course, Jung. How can we get him here?"

"All I know is that Hwoarang took a few days off. And that's strange because he hardly ever does that. All he talks about is some girl that he likes and says he can't focus."

Julia was shocked. First, she realized who that man was. A high-ranking official in the BT. Second, she realized that Hwoarang did really care about her. If he is depressed enough not to go to work at HQ then he must be concerned about her somewhat.

The two men were silent. Julia has her back rested against the dumpster, breathing heavily. She wondered how long she would have to be here, the smell was almost unbearable.

_Focus, I've got to stay focused. What the heck is that tickling my hand._

Something was tickling her hand. She looked down at her hand to see a tiny mouse waddling by and brushing against her fingers. She shrieked knocking the mouse away. She quickly covered her mouth.

Julia looked down the alley. But no one was there! She wondered how they left so fast. Just as she is about to stand completely to her feet, she felt someone pick her up by the collar.

"What do we have here?" Bryan asked glaring menacingly into her eyes. Who are you? What did you hear?"

Julia remained silent, trying to get out of his grip. Jung put his hands on his head in thought, suddenly his mind ran across the name.

"I know her! It's that Chang girl Hwoarang always talks about."

"Did he send you?"

"No, I came for myself." Julia spoke between gasps. She suddenly became more determined than ever. "And if you think that I'm going to let you get at Hwoarang, you can think again!"

Julia somehow managed to kick out of Bryan's grip. As she tried to run away, Jung grabs her wrist.

"Sweetie, where do you think you're going?"

She swiftly punched him in the stomach sending him tumbling backward into the wall.

She tried to hit Bryan but he quickly recovered with his _MATCH BREAKER_, knocking the wind out of her. She struggled to remain to her feet but within moments she was on her knees.

"I… won't… let you two…"

Julia collapsed. The pain swelled up from her stomach. She couldn't move. Bryan scoffed then looked to Jung.

"He wouldn't want anything happening to her, now would he? When he comes for her, then we'll get him."

Julia's view of them became blurry as everything faded to dark.

The following day, Hwoarang laid awake on his bed, looking at the ceiling. He took yet another day off and for once he had to admit that it felt good to escape from his problems. Even better yet, he had not heard anything from Bryan though he wasn't sure if that was even a good thing.

He is disrupted from his thoughts when his phone rang. It said "JULIA" He smirked. He knew she would call back. That's always it always was. He quickly answered it but tried his best not to sound desperate.

"Julia?"

"No, guess again." A male voice answered. Hwoarang froze in fear.

"What have you done with Julia? Where is she?"

"She's fine. For now."

Hwoarang became enraged.

"If you even touch her, I swear I'll…"

"She won't be harmed" Bryan interrupted. "If you do EXACTLY what I say. I want

The money tonight…"

Hwoarang froze up again. "T-Tonight?"

"Tonight. At your hideout I want it all in bills. You come alone. No cops."

What choice did he have? Who knew what he was capable of and now that he had Julia, it was no longer just about him anymore.

"Fine."

The call ended abruptly. How would he get the money? He had no idea what to do. Thousands of dollars. None of friends had that kind of money. Suddenly, he got an idea. There was only one person who he thought that he could call and he was really hesitant to do so. The only thing that mattered now was Julia's life.


	6. Truth Behind the Psycho

**_Chapter 6: The Truth Behind the Psycho_**

**A/N: Sorry about the delay. Busy, busy, busy. But only a few more weeks till the close of the semester. Then I'll have more time to write. I don't intend to wait that long until the next chap though.**

The thought that no one he knew would have that money, not even his enemies, gave Hwoarang an idea. Who but his old rival Jin Kazama would be that rich as to have that amount of money? He went through his phone book and heaved a heavy sigh. Admitting when he needed help was one of his weak points, and he knew Jin and his self-righteous nature would be quick to put him down. But he had no other choice.

He picked up his phone, slowly dialed the digits, and held the receiver to his ear . As the phone rang, he felt his sense of pride slowly deflating.

"Hello?" a deep voice said on the other end.

"Jin, it's me Hwoarang."

"You, from the Tekken Tournament." He replied, sounding a bit annoyed. "What do you want? If it's about a rematch-"

"No, it's not that. I need to borrow cash."

"What for? I'm not supporting any of your illegal activities. I can't get MY family name involved."

Hwoarang fell silent. He could see that the conversation was going nowhere. He was hoping to not have to resort to having to reveal what the money was for, but he was desperate.

"Julia Chang has been kidnapped." He blurted in the growing silence.

"What?" Jin replied in genuine disbelief.

"Yeah, Bryan Fury has her. I need cash to get her back."

Silence once again grew. Hwoarang was sure that Jin was considering his proposition.

"Under one condition. I go with you."

"What you don't trust me."

"It's more than that."

"Well, you can't. Bryan said to come alone."

"At least let me wait in the area."

Hwoarang rolled his eyes in annoyance, tapping the table impatiently. He was sure he wouldn't get the money unless Jin came to scope out the area.

"Fine."

"How much is it?"

"Fifty grand."

"I'll bring it with me. Where is the drop off spot?"

Hwoarang reluctantly gave Jin the address of the Blood Talon hideout. The two hang up. Now, Hwoarang owed Jin, but he could live with that. There were only a few hours left till drop off and he would meet up with him

Something about Julia's kidnapping bothered him. It seemed like more than just a random act. There was something about it that he just couldn't shake. How the heck did Bryan get to Julia anyway?

It was at that moment that moment he remembered his last conversation with Julia and Bryan's sudden appearance at Julia's workplace. How was Bryan connected to Abel? He knew that something wasn't right. But one thing was for sure. Abel was the only one with the answers. He sat for a moment in a chair. Finally resolved, he stood to his feet, grabbing his keys and his jacket off the chair.

The ride on the motorcycle only felt like a few minutes, and he found himself at the ERC. He had never actually been inside of the place, but figured it was about time to pay Abel a visit. He entered the building, which was bustling with employees. He was surprised that no one paid any attention to a thuggish looking Korean within a group of business suits. He easily slipped by to a less bustling area of the center.

He looked up at a sign that read: ERC Division Coordinator, with a huge arrow pointing to the right side of the hall near the back exit. He only assumed that the Director could be no one else but Abel himself. As he walked down the narrow hallway he heard the footsteps of another behind him that suddenly stopped.

"Hey! Hey you! You're not supposed to be here."

The footsteps began again and Hwoarang froze in place. Not out of fear, but out of annoyance and defeat. Hwoarang turned to the man. He was slightly shorter than him, with black hair and dark colored eyes. He was dressed up in a security uniform with no gun at his holster. He put a finger to his chin as if thinking of something, then he came to a conclusion almost immediately.

"It must be one of you street punks again! What are you here for?"  
_Again? _"I'm here to see Abel" Hwoarang replied matter-of factly.

"Well, I'm sorry. _Doctor _Abel isn't seeing any visitors today so if you would kindly…"

"It's important."

The man scoffed.

"What business would Dr. Abel have with street trash like you?"

Hwoarang clenched his fist, his rage mounting

"Now are you going to go quietly or am I going to have to-"

Just as the guard was about to finish his sentence Hwoarang attacked the man with his _Torpedo Kick, _sending him against the wall hard. The man slumped to the floor. Hwoarang smirked, looking at the unconscious guard.

"How's that for street trash, huh?"

He strode away confidently smiling. He paused short of Abel's door. Even though the office window was blurry he can see someone inside at the desk. Hwoarang pounded on the door and without waiting for a reply, barged in. Abel looked up from his paper work in obvious annoyance.

"Who are you?"

"You don't need to know that. I came to ask you some questions. About Bryan Fury."

When Hwoarang said the name, Abel raised an eyebrow in surprise, then went back to his unimpressed look.

"I don't know who you think you are," he said as his anger steadily increased. "But if you don't leave right now, I'm going to call security."  
"Security's taking a little nap at the moment," Hwoarang said smugly shutting the door. Abel stood up his desk, obviously feeling a little threatened.

"I'm not afraid of hooligans like you. I've dealt with your kind before."'

"Well, I'm not leaving till I get some answers. Julia Chang, your employee was kidnapped."

Abel's expression and demeanor changed. It was hard to identify. It was neither sadness nor sympathy, but not altogether apathetic.

"That fool…" Abel murmured aloud. He turned to the window leaning his hand on the pane.

"Now are you going to tell you me everything?"

"I created Bryan."

Now it was Hwoarang's turn to raise and eyebrow, but this time in disbelief. "Created?"

"We brought him back to life using the Mishima corporation research team. We also used him for experiments on how to combine human genetics with the devil gene. But there can never be a stable form. Unless…"

"Unless…" Hwoarang tried, baiting him into continuing. Abel turned from the window, with a strange look on his face.

"You introduce Genocell. It stabilizes the atoms, allowing the devil genes act upon the ordinary cells of humans. It's quite remarkable…"

"And let me guess. You injected that freak Bryan with Genocell, right?"

"The Genocell Bryan was injected with was an early form of Genocell, simply called G-Cell. It lacked the stability and predictable of the recent samples. Bryan is one of the last surviving subjects of those experiments. Bryan's ordinary human attributes have been enhanced."

Hwoarang blinked as if lost in the wording.

"So you mean that that Bryan is unstoppable?"

"No. He's not. He may be incredibly strong, but it is only for a time. His body is beginning to weaken and he's becoming more and more unpredictable. He's become too much of a danger to keep around anymore…"

As Hwoarang is about to inquire further, suddenly the door swings open and he's sees the same security guard, with his hand covering a bruise on the side of his face.

"You! I swear I'll make you pay for this!"

Hwoarang yawned. "I think I'll take my leave now."

As Hwoarang made for the door, the security guard stepped in his way.

"You're not leaving! Not until-"

"Let him go." Abel's authoritative voice interrupted.

Hwoarang grinned at the guard who glared at him, as Hwoarang walked briskly by him. The door shut loudly.

"Why would you let him pass?"

"That's none of your concern."

The guard, who sensed that Abel was not in the mood to speak with him, limbered gingerly, opening the door and shut it behind him.

_Maybe I gave him a little too much information. But that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.  
_Abel grinned evilly.

_I'm counting on you, boy._

**I really don't know all that much about Genocell or the devil gene. I really made it up… so yeah…R&R people. I intend to finish it up in 1 or 2 more chapters.**


	7. The Showdown Part 1: His Little Game

Chapter 7: The Showdown Part 1 

Hwoarang's eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. He had probably counted down each hour as they passed to mark the time he would see Julia. He figured that everything was in place, for the most part. He sent everyone in the BTHQ. Though they found it strange that they would be graced with the day off, they certainly didn't hesitate when Hwoarang repeated the order. He would meet Jin in a half- an-hour in front of Head Quarters. He felt sick to his stomach literally. He couldn't quite place the feeling at nervousness or fear. He just didn't feel right. He couldn't take it anymore, so he had to get out. There would be no harm in getting there early.

He went out for a walk. It almost surprised him at how dark the streets became so fast. The remnant of people slowly trickled down to just a few. Carefully looking to see if anyone was watching, Hwoarang slipped into a nearby alleyway. He leaned against the wall and slid down until he was on the floor. He certainly felt better than when he was in the apartment. He put his head in his arms and breathed deeply.

"You're here early too, huh?" a voice said. Hwoarang slowly lifted up his head and saw Jin Kazama standing above him with a briefcase in hand.

"Yeah."

"What happened to all your guards?"

"Sent them home. Couldn't risk this thing getting bigger than it already is."

The two again became silent for a couple of minutes before Jin finally spoke up.

"What's up with you? Normally you'd be bragging about how you were going to win our last fight or least be begging for a rematch."

"I have a lot on my mind."

"You're hiding something. Not that I really care to know."

"Hiding?" _More like a lapse. _Hwoarang thought.

Almost as if reading his mind, Jin replied:

"People often block out their most painful memories."

Hwoarang scoffed. "And what would you know about something like that?"

As Jin is about to answer, he looked behind him toward the end of the alleyway.

"Did you hear something?"

"Hm?"

The two were silent. Both of their eyes were on a shadow that was on the sidewalk just outside the alley. A shadow elongated, then just as quickly withdrew. It was clear they were being spied on. Whoever it was waited for them just around the corner. Jin arrived first towards the entrance of the alleyway. After a three second silent count, Jin grabbed the arm of the person and jerked them into the alley. When he looked into the face of the person, the girl, he was shocked.

"Xiao?"

Hwoarang narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "Um, Jin? What is your girlfriend doing here?"

Jin released Ling Xiaoyu from his grip. His face softened.

"Xiao, why are you here?"

Xiaoyu she stammered for a second in surprise before shooting back

"I was just worried about you thats all! What are you two doing here anyway?"

"That's beside the point. You really shouldn't be here. "

Hwoarang flipped out his cell phone and looked at the time.

"Look it can't be helped. It's almost time. I guess you can keep Kazama company out here."

Jin handed Hwoarang the briefcase with the cash. Hwoarang entered his hideout through the front entrance. He immediately found it strange that the area inside the warehouse was so dark. The only light came from the streetlights outside the window. He cautiously steps in a little closer and he sees two shadowy figures become clearer.

Across the room he sees, Julia on the floor, kneeling and bound with a handkerchief around her mouth. She is visibly shaken. He had never seen her look that way before. Her eyes followed his as he entered the warehouse. And next to her stood Bryan Fury armed with both a rail gun and pistol. Bryan had come for battle. Hwoarang quickly realized his error in bringing a weapon with him. If it came down to anything, he only had the switchblade in his back pocket.

Hwoarang tries to regain composure and walked toward the two. He stopped a few feet from them as Bryan had gestured him to do so.

"Let her go. Right now."

"The briefcase first. Slide it over."

Hwoarang paused for a moment. He bent over, turning the briefcase on its side. He slid it across the floor. It stopped a few inches in front of Bryan. Bryan opened the latch on the briefcase and saw the cash. He went over it mentally briefly than just as quickly closed the briefcase, setting the cash right beside Julia.

"All the cash is in there. Now let her go."

He bent down to free Julia. Bryan smirked as he looked across towards Hwoarang. Julia's eyes for a moment have a sense of relief before she feels the cold butt of the pistol caused her to stifle a cry as the handkerchief. She slumps forward slowly as the handkerchief slowly fell from her mouth.

Hwoarang instantly felt a shock go up his spine.

"Julia!"

He glared furiously at Bryan who simply toyed with his pistol.

"You bastard!" Hwoarang was about to attack Bryan when he heard a voice from behind.

"You might not want to do that."

The voice was all too familiar to him, but he didn't want to believe it. He felt a gun pressed to the back of his head.

"Jung? Why?"

"You ran us into the ground Hwoarang. But once I get rid of you, and I become the leader of the Talons, things will be back to how they should be."

Hwoarang heard the voice of anger and rage. Not the man he had never took seriously. That he had so often overlooked. But tonight, Jung was out to kill.

He heard Jung forcibly press the trigger. The gun clicked once. Julia eyes opened as the pain throbbed in the back of her head. Things for her seemed a bit blurry as she saw Hwoarang with a horrid expression on his face. Fear.

He realized that what he had done up till now was not enough. He had failed Julia.

"Isn't it ironic" Bryan spoke from above her. "You are about to die in the same place your boss did."

Hwoarang heard the second click. His only regret would be that he couldn't save it. And that he dragged her into this whole mess. He closed his eyes waiting for the shot.

For a moment, just a brief moment, Hwoarang's mind brought him somewhere else. To the infamous night his boss, his best friend laid almost motionless on the floor. Hwoarang stood gun in hand. He shook as he struggled to keep the gun stable. The first click sounded. He heard another click in his ear. Then the other click didn't come from his gun.

He heard Julia scream, reminding him where he was. In the warehouse. Suddenly there was a deafening crashing sound behind him. Hwoarang felt the gun knocked away from the back of his head. Hwoarang quickly turned the tables on Jung, connecting swiftly on his _Rude Boy Combo. _Jung collapsed to the ground. Jin came out of defensive position. He had knocked the door down, apparently. Hwoarang smirked, the only expression he could muster of any gratitude.

Hwoarang remembered Bryan and Julia and turned to see the two gone. He clenched his fist tightly.

"That son of a-"

Hwoarang looked at the back door. He broke into a sprint toward the exit, yelling without looking back.

"Wait here! I'll go after Bryan!"

"Hwoarang, wait a second."

He stopped .

"Yeah what is it?"

"Take this, you might need it."

Jin tossed Jung's pistol at Hwoarang. He clutched it as if re-accustoming himself to it. He then continued towards the door.

When Hwoarang broke through the back door, he looked around. He could hardly see anything at all. He swore under his breath. _Where did they go?_ The door shut somewhat loudly behind him. He saw a shadow up ahead. Hwoarang moved cautiously towards the end of the storage section. The area was littered with large storage boxes which probably hadn't been used in years. He hardly ever went into this area of the hideout at all. Too many bad memories.

Hwoarang froze as he saw Bryan pull Julia in front of him. He forced a pistol to her head.

"It's too bad. I was enjoying our little game. But it ends here. Drop your weapon. Or I'll blow her brains out."

**A/N: What a cliff hanger huh? What'll happen next? You gotta wait for the next chapter. Please Read and Review, I appreciate the comments!**


	8. The Showdown Part 2 A life for a life

A/N: So I really had trouble putting a definite ending on it for various reasons, in case I wanted to follow it up

**A/N: So I really had trouble putting a definite ending on it for various reasons, in case I wanted to follow it up. So, instead I decided to make two endings. This first one here is the regular ending and the other will be the alternate end. Tell me which one you like better, I'm really interested in knowing!**

_**Chapter 9: With You**_

For a while there was no sound at all as he watched the chaos in front of him unfold like a movie. Was this hell? All he could see was intense flames rising and dense smoke filled the room and his lungs as he laid flat on the floor. He tried to push himself up off of the floor and pain ran up his left arm. He groaned and only tried to push harder against the ground and somehow managed to get on his feet.

He could hardly see anything in front of him but he knew he had to get out, fast. He coughed and eased his way past falling debris. He knew that there was at least one emergency exit that would lead outside. He knew the place like the back of his hand, but making his way across the warehouse to the door was still a difficult task. He finally reached it, nearly collapsing against it in exhaustion. He tried to push against the door, but the door seemed to be jammed. With all his strength he threw himself repeatedly against the door, finally cursing and falling to his knees.

Hwoarang heard siren's wailing in the distance.

As his mind reeled with thoughts and the fire continued to dance around him, he thought of Jin and Xiaoyu and almost wondered why he was thinking of them in the time he would die. He couldn't stand people like them. Jin and his collected coolness and Xiaoyu and her happy-go lucky optimism. But they had been… they were… his friends?

Jung also briefly came to his mind as well. There was no doubt in his mind, that Jung was the one who had fired the shots that gave Hwoarang the advantage against Bryan.

He thought of Julia and wished for a moment he could apologize for everything he had put her through. She didn't deserve it.

He saw a black speck that seemingly darted behind him. But just as quickly, with inhuman speed, it vanished.

Just then he heard a loud sound to his left, like another minor explosion. He cringed and saw that another door leading back to the front entrance blew in and collapsed to the ground. It would be a long shot, but going around the other way was his only chance to make it out alive.

If he didn't suffocate to death first… He would make a run for it. He ran towards the door, holding his hand across his mouth. Every second was important.

This room, the outer part of the warehouse was in even worse shape than the other. He could barely see anything at all. He carefully navigated his way over pieces of wood that pierced out of the ground.

"Hwoarang!" a voice faintly called. He thought he heard something over the crackle of the fire.

"Hwoarang!" the voice repeated again.

This time he looked and saw a face near the direction of his office. His hand was pressed against what used to be a wall. His face was covered in dirt and he stood nearly hunched over.

"Jung? Is that you?"

"Yeah" he said weakly. He fell forward on the ground.

"Jung!"

Hwoarang ran over and looked at Jung's body. He made a something like a gasp and opened his eyes.

"Hang on, I'm gonna get you out!"

"No. Get out of here."

He helped Jung to his feet.

"Can you stand ok?"

Jung didn't answer, he looked stunned. Hwoarang held Jung's body under his shoulder and the both made their way towards the door. A pattering sound came from the ceiling and pieces of debris crumbled.

"Look out!" Jung called and shoved Hwoarang forward. Before Hwoarang could even react, he turned to see a large beam from the ceiling crush Jung's body. His pained cry resounded in the room. Hwoarang stood, completely in shock. Jung's eyes were still opened and found their way to Hwoarang's.

"I'm fine …don't worry about me…"

Jung's blood seeped from his side intermingling with the flames around him. There was no way that he could survive that type of wound.

Hwoarang still stood, his eyes wide. He nodded.

"Thank you…" he replied heartfeltly. The vision of Jung became blurry. He couldn't tell if it was because of tears or if it was just his mind. "That's time number two you saved my life."

He leaned a shoulder against the front door and pushed against it with all his might. He was going to leave it all behind! He would have to make it, just have to! The flames swelled behind as the he desperately rammed the door each time a sharp pain running up his shoulder.

--

"No, now tell me the story again…" Jin replied to Xiao who stood with ashamed eyes. Jin looked furious at her, as though he had just chided her.

"I just went in after you!"

Jin folded his arms.

"But I went in the wrong way I guess. Then there was this huge explosion" Xiaoyu replied throwing her hands into the air, exaggeratedly.

"Then… I … um… blacked out or something for a second" she put a finger to her lips in thought. "I don't remember. I found myself out the other exit… someone saved me! That fast!"

"Ridiculous," Jin murmured.

"But it's true!" Xiao practically screamed.

They continued arguing. Julia was silent the whole time, watching the fire consume the warehouse.

"And you didn't see Hwoarang, did you?"

Jin and Xiao immediately stopped arguing and looked somberly at Julia. Xiao shook her head, slowly.

Julia choked back a sob and stood misty-eyed at the scene occurring in front of her. Jin put an arm around her, gravely and Xiao held her hand gingerly as they began to walk off. A shadow came behind them that grew larger.

"Hey! Hey!" A voice called from behind them. Julia froze in place as she trembled. Her eyes widened as the voice continued.

"You didn't think that I'd be done in that easily do you?"

Tears slowly came down her face as she turned to see Hwoarang smirking, covered in soot and clutching his shoulder, but alive. Jin shook his head, Hwoarang sure knew how to be dramatic. Before he could say any more Julia rushed into his arms and hugged him tightly. Despite the dull ache in his body, he wouldn't trade the feeling he felt now for anything. He ran a hand through her hair and Julia wiped away her tears. Xiaoyu watched the scene with a smile as Jin placeed a hand on her shoulders. She knew it was time for them to leave.

As the two walked off together, Hwoarang cleared his throat; Jin paused and turned back to the two. He found the words hard to say to his sworn enemy.

"Thanks for keeping her safe, Kazama."

Jin nodded and walked ahead and spoke half-laughing: "And you better pay me back, I'm keeping a tab!"

Hwoarang clenched a fist, watching Jin and Xiao walk away.

"That Kazama!"

Julia smiled and then her face became serious. "What happened to Bryan?"

It was then that Hwoarang realized that he hadn't seen Bryan's body or the money. Could it be possible….that he survived?

"I don't know. But there is only one way to be sure. I have to enter the next tournament."

"Well, now I have a reason too. To unmask G-Corporation and their experiments to the world… And for my research."

Hwoarang laid his hand on Julia's shoulder, looking her squarely in the eyes. Her heart felt like it melted as he said:

"I'm with you, every step of the way."

"I know," she whispered softly back to him, leaning closer to his face.

_THE END!_

**A/N: Thanks to all my readers who reviewed and those who didn't ******** Make sure you check out the ALTERNATE ENDING and stay tuned for a possible prequel/sequel! **


	9. With You

A/N: So I really had trouble putting a definite ending on it for various reasons, in case I wanted to follow it up

**A/N: So I really had trouble putting a definite ending on it for various reasons, in case I wanted to follow it up. So, instead I decided to make two endings. This first one here is the regular ending and the other will be the alternate end. Tell me which one you like better, I'm really interested in knowing!**

_**Chapter 9: With You**_

For a while there was no sound at all as he watched the chaos in front of him unfold like a movie. Was this hell? All he could see was intense flames rising and dense smoke filled the room and his lungs as he laid flat on the floor. He tried to push himself up off of the floor and pain ran up his left arm. He groaned and only tried to push harder against the ground and somehow managed to get on his feet.

He could hardly see anything in front of him but he knew he had to get out, fast. He coughed and eased his way past falling debris. He knew that there was at least one emergency exit that would lead outside. He knew the place like the back of his hand, but making his way across the warehouse to the door was still a difficult task. He finally reached it, nearly collapsing against it in exhaustion. He tried to push against the door, but the door seemed to be jammed. With all his strength he threw himself repeatedly against the door, finally cursing and falling to his knees.

Hwoarang heard siren's wailing in the distance.

As his mind reeled with thoughts and the fire continued to dance around him, he thought of Jin and Xiaoyu and almost wondered why he was thinking of them in the time he would die. He couldn't stand people like them. Jin and his collected coolness and Xiaoyu and her happy-go lucky optimism. But they had been… they were… his friends?

Jung also briefly came to his mind as well. There was no doubt in his mind, that Jung was the one who had fired the shots that gave Hwoarang the advantage against Bryan.

He thought of Julia and wished for a moment he could apologize for everything he had put her through. She didn't deserve it.

He saw a black speck that seemingly darted behind him. But just as quickly, with inhuman speed, it vanished.

Just then he heard a loud sound to his left, like another minor explosion. He cringed and saw that another door leading back to the front entrance blew in and collapsed to the ground. It would be a long shot, but going around the other way was his only chance to make it out alive.

If he didn't suffocate to death first… He would make a run for it. He ran towards the door, holding his hand across his mouth. Every second was important.

This room, the outer part of the warehouse was in even worse shape than the other. He could barely see anything at all. He carefully navigated his way over pieces of wood that pierced out of the ground.

"Hwoarang!" a voice faintly called. He thought he heard something over the crackle of the fire.

"Hwoarang!" the voice repeated again.

This time he looked and saw a face near the direction of his office. His hand was pressed against what used to be a wall. His face was covered in dirt and he stood nearly hunched over.

"Jung? Is that you?"

"Yeah" he said weakly. He fell forward on the ground.

"Jung!"

Hwoarang ran over and looked at Jung's body. He made a something like a gasp and opened his eyes.

"Hang on, I'm gonna get you out!"

"No. Get out of here."

He helped Jung to his feet.

"Can you stand ok?"

Jung didn't answer, he looked stunned. Hwoarang held Jung's body under his shoulder and the both made their way towards the door. A pattering sound came from the ceiling and pieces of debris crumbled.

"Look out!" Jung called and shoved Hwoarang forward. Before Hwoarang could even react, he turned to see a large beam from the ceiling crush Jung's body. His pained cry resounded in the room. Hwoarang stood, completely in shock. Jung's eyes were still opened and found their way to Hwoarang's.

"I'm fine …don't worry about me…"

Jung's blood seeped from his side intermingling with the flames around him. There was no way that he could survive that type of wound.

Hwoarang still stood, his eyes wide. He nodded.

"Thank you…" he replied heartfeltly. The vision of Jung became blurry. He couldn't tell if it was because of tears or if it was just his mind. "That's time number two you saved my life."

He leaned a shoulder against the front door and pushed against it with all his might. He was going to leave it all behind! He would have to make it, just have to! The flames swelled behind as the he desperately rammed the door each time a sharp pain running up his shoulder.

--

"No, now tell me the story again…" Jin replied to Xiao who stood with ashamed eyes. Jin looked furious at her, as though he had just chided her.

"I just went in after you!"

Jin folded his arms.

"But I went in the wrong way I guess. Then there was this huge explosion" Xiaoyu replied throwing her hands into the air, exaggeratedly.

"Then… I … um… blacked out or something for a second" she put a finger to her lips in thought. "I don't remember. I found myself out the other exit… someone saved me! That fast!"

"Ridiculous," Jin murmured.

"But it's true!" Xiao practically screamed.

They continued arguing. Julia was silent the whole time, watching the fire consume the warehouse.

"And you didn't see Hwoarang, did you?"

Jin and Xiao immediately stopped arguing and looked somberly at Julia. Xiao shook her head, slowly.

Julia choked back a sob and stood misty-eyed at the scene occurring in front of her. Jin put an arm around her, gravely and Xiao held her hand gingerly as they began to walk off. A shadow came behind them that grew larger.

"Hey! Hey!" A voice called from behind them. Julia froze in place as she trembled. Her eyes widened as the voice continued.

"You didn't think that I'd be done in that easily do you?"

Tears slowly came down her face as she turned to see Hwoarang smirking, covered in soot and clutching his shoulder, but alive. Jin shook his head, Hwoarang sure knew how to be dramatic. Before he could say any more Julia rushed into his arms and hugged him tightly. Despite the dull ache in his body, he wouldn't trade the feeling he felt now for anything. He ran a hand through her hair and Julia wiped away her tears. Xiaoyu watched the scene with a smile as Jin placeed a hand on her shoulders. She knew it was time for them to leave.

As the two walked off together, Hwoarang cleared his throat; Jin paused and turned back to the two. He found the words hard to say to his sworn enemy.

"Thanks for keeping her safe, Kazama."

Jin nodded and walked ahead and spoke half-laughing: "And you better pay me back, I'm keeping a tab!"

Hwoarang clenched a fist, watching Jin and Xiao walk away.

"That Kazama!"

Julia smiled and then her face became serious. "What happened to Bryan?"

It was then that Hwoarang realized that he hadn't seen Bryan's body or the money. Could it be possible….that he survived?

"I don't know. But there is only one way to be sure. I have to enter the next tournament."

"Well, now I have a reason too. To unmask G-Corporation and their experiments to the world… And for my research."

Hwoarang laid his hand on Julia's shoulder, looking her squarely in the eyes. Her heart felt like it melted as he said:

"I'm with you, every step of the way."

"I know," she whispered softly back to him, leaning closer to his face.

_THE END!_

**A/N: Thanks to all my readers who reviewed and those who didn't ******** Make sure you check out the ALTERNATE ENDING and stay tuned for a possible prequel/sequel! **


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